Winter Will Worsen Ukrainians' Lives After 1.000 Days Of War

JAKARTA - The upcoming winter will bring many difficulties to Ukrainian civilians, especially for those displaced.

Russian drone and rocket attacks have disrupted electricity, energy, heating and water supply, and a full-scale war will enter its third winter. Temperatures can drop to below -20 degrees Celsius.

"Especially now with a decrease in temperature. Winter will come and make people's lives very difficult now," said Dr. Hasan Kadhim, field coordinator at the International Rescue Committee to CNN.

"People can't work, can't do anything without electricity," Kadhim said, adding that the 1,000-day war in Russia had claimed the lives of Ukrainian civilians.

"And people have now lost or (summed up) their savings so they can't even survive or be more prepared for winter," he said.

As previously reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the war had reached a decisive moment. Zelenskyy has touted plans for a massive increase in attack weapons production.

In an hour-long speech in Ukrainian parliament to commemorate the 1,000 days since Russia's massive invasion, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not trade its sovereignty or relinquish its right to its territory.

He ruled out holding a new election until peace was reached.

"At this stage of war, it is being decided who will win whether we are over enemies, or enemies over us, Ukrainians and Europeans, and everyone in the world who wants to live freely and is not subject to dictatorial rule," Zelenskyy said., Tuesday, November 19.

Zelenskyy put forward what he called a "resilience plan" for his country as a domestic effort against the winning plans he submitted to Western allies.

He said it was necessary to force Russia to negotiate to end the war.

Although he said the full details of the plan would be disclosed later this year, the plan includes steps to stabilize the front lines, support military innovation and weapons production as well as steps to support national unity and cultural identity.

"Unity is the first point of our internal Resilience Plan," he said.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine will produce 30,000 long-range drones next year, a weapon system Kyiv uses to narrow the gap in its attack capability with Russia and to strike a far larger target in neighboring areas, namely in the eastern region.

Ukraine has been working to increase military industrial production since Russia launched an invasion in February 2022, and Zelenskiy said 40 foreign weapons manufacturers were already working in Ukraine's weapons production sector.

Ukraine is also aiming to produce at least 3,000 cruise missiles and missile drones, he said, without providing a timeframe.